New Delhi, 13 September (H.S.): Ben Shelton is now just one victory away from making history at the US Open 2026. The American tennis star will face top seed Alexander Zverev in the final. If Shelton wins the championship match, he will become the first American man since Andy Roddick in 2003 to win the US Open men’s singles title. The final is scheduled to begin at 11:30 p.m. IST today.

Shelton secured his place in the final by defeating fellow American Frances Tiafoe in the semifinals. He is now within touching distance of his maiden Grand Slam title and is fully energised by the opportunity.

In an interview shared by JioStar, Shelton said he was completely prepared for the final and would give everything he had on court. He said that regardless of whether he won or lost, he would be proud of his performance and the journey he had undertaken so far. However, he added that winning a Grand Slam was his dream, and with that dream now directly in front of him, he would leave no stone unturned in pursuing it.

Shelton further said that he believes in continually improving himself rather than seeking immediate success, and that he still has considerable ground to cover to become a better tennis player. At the same time, he acknowledged that his ultimate goal was now just one match away and that he was ready to give everything in the final.

Historic Opportunity for American Tennis

Shelton’s run to the final has already become a landmark achievement for American tennis. No American man has won the US Open men’s singles title since Andy Roddick’s triumph in 2003. Shelton has also become the first Black American man since Arthur Ashe to reach the US Open men’s singles final.

Speaking about the significance of his achievement, Shelton credited his family and everyone who has supported him throughout his career.

He said the moment meant everything to him. Many people had made significant sacrifices for him to reach his current position, and whenever he reflected on that journey, he felt immense gratitude towards those who had supported him and stood behind him. Shelton said being part of history was incredible, but his job was not finished yet.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar